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EU Partners

As part of its function to supervise
the implementation of the EU treaties and legislation, the European Commission oversees
the work of EU agencies, including Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard
Agency. For this reason, two representatives of DG HOME represent the Commission
on the Frontex Management Board. The Frontex Regulation also requires that the
European Commission be kept regularly informed of agency activities.

Frontex falls within the
responsibility and portfolio of its “parent DG”, Commission Directorate-General
for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), and the European Commissioner for
Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos. In practice,
Frontex also cooperates with many of the Directorates and bodies within the
European Commission.

Beyond supporting the implementation
of existing policies, Frontex also contributes to various areas of Commission work
particularly by providing its technical expertise. This can include input at
the consultation stage of legislative proposals, or regular attendance to Commission-run
expert groups and networks (such as the European Network on Migration).

In addition, the European
Commission has a number of specific and important powers stemming from the
European Border and Coast Guard Regulation.

In situations at the external borders
requiring urgent action, as part of the procedure laid down in Article 19, the
Commission may propose decisions to be taken by the Council requiring a Member
State to cooperate with the agency in the implementation of measures to
mitigate risks at the external borders.

The Commission may delegate
relevant powers to Frontex when it implements border security related parts of
the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. It also provides prior
approval to proposed Frontex working arrangements with EU or non-EU
institutions, agencies, organisations or countries. Every four years, the Commission contracts independent
external evaluations to assess the agency’s work, results achieved and possible
need to modify its mandate. Finally, the European Commission also has an
important role in coordinating the activities of the migration management
support teams deployed in hotspot areas.

Frontex also cooperates with the European
Commission’s DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW),
the DG for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), the DG for
Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), the Joint Research
Centre (JRC), the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the Secretariat-General,
the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), Directorate-General
for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), Directorate-General for Mobility
and Transport (DG MOVE), the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC),
Eurostat and more beside.

Frontex may benefit from EU funding delegated
from the funding instruments relevant to EU external actions (for example
managed by DG NEAR or DG DEVCO). This is notably the case when Frontex launches
and finances technical assistance projects in non-EU countries.